COLLEGE BASKETBALL

COLLEGE BASKETBALL; For Wizards, Jarvis Offer In the Works

By MIKE WISE

Published: May 18, 2000

MIAMI, May 17—
Michael Jordan's coaching search is apparently nearing an end. Jordan, the Washington Wizards' head of basketball operations, is expected to offer the head coaching job to St. John's Coach Mike Jarvis within the next two days, a person familiar with the negotiations said today.

Jarvis's agent, Rob Ades, traveled to New York this afternoon to meet with his client regarding the possibility of filling the coaching position, the person said. Jarvis was expected to receive a formal offer from Jordan in the next two days.

''We consider it an honor for our head men's basketball coach to be considered for the Washington Wizards job,'' the St. John's athletic director, Ed Manetta, said last night. ''We would be disappointed if Mike left St. John's, but we understand his desire to move on to the professional ranks.''

Jarvis has told the university president. the Rev. Donald J. Harrington, of Jordan's interest.

Ades could not be reached for comment, but a spokesman from his Washington-based office confirmed that he was in New York on business. But with Jordan's desire to fill the position in time for Sunday's National Basketball Association draft lottery, and with his other candidate fading from the landscape quickly, Jarvis could be named the Wizards' next coach as early as Friday.

The only other remaining candidate among those who have been mentioned publicly is Lenny Wilkens, who recently resigned from Atlanta. John Paxson, Jordan's former Chicago Bulls teammate, declined an offer to join the organization. Darrell Walker, the interim coach for the last 38 games of the season, was hired as director of player personnel earlier this week. The Golden State assistant Rod Higgins, another candidate for the coaching position, was appointed assistant general manager

The moves eliminated Walker and Higgins from Jordan's coaching pool.

Jarvis has an escape clause that allows him to get out of his contract with St. John's at any time, but it is not a guarantee that he will accept an initial offer from the Wizards. With the Nets' job still vacant and several other positions unfilled -- the Clippers, Vancouver and the Atlanta Hawks -- the feeling among several coaching candidates around the league is that there is not a tremendous upside to taking the Wizards job.